Hillcrest Elementary School

2045 South Pond Street

School District

Boise Independent District
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for Boise Independent District

GreatSchools Rating

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 23, 2025

Review for Hillcrest ElementaryI am beyond frustrated with Hillcrest Elementary and feel compelled to share my outrage. This school has been a complete disappointment and, frankly, a waste of our tax dollars.First and foremost, my child has been unfairly targeted by a substitute teacher who seems to have it out for him. This person, who was merely a lunch guard last year, somehow got thrust into a teaching position, raising serious questions about the hiring practices here. My child has been reprimanded multiple times for minor issues, while other kids run wild without any consequences when this substitute is around. Just last week, my son was sent to the office for telling another student to stop messing with the lights—something the substitute had already addressed! It’s infuriating to see him scapegoated for simply trying to follow the rules in an environment that should be nurturing.This school claims to be a safe space for children, yet my son comes home overwhelmed and anxious, with chafed lips from stress—thanks to a substitute who won’t even allow him chapstick! It’s heartbreaking to see my child suffering because of the incompetence of the staff. When I raised these concerns with the principal, her response was dismissive. It’s clear she is out of touch and ill-equipped to handle the needs of the students.And let’s talk about the utter failure of the majority of the staff. Last year, I overheard a counselor tell a child who expressed fear of being jumped on the way home, “Have you tried talking to them?” Are you kidding me? That’s when an adult should step in and take charge! The complete lack of appropriate response in situations like this shows a shocking disregard for student safety.Overall, Hillcrest Elementary is a disaster. The leadership is ineffective, the staff is underqualified, and the school seems to operate under the assumption that low-income students don’t deserve the same level of care as others. The principal’s constant excuses about the school’s size are pathetic; I could walk from one end to the other in seconds. It feels like the school has given up on the kids, leaving them to fend for themselves.In summary, I absolutely cannot recommend Hillcrest Elementary. It’s a toxic environment that fails to meet the needs of its students and is a disservice to our community. Parents deserve so much better for their children, and it’s infuriating to see our tax dollars wasted on such a broken system.
Submitted by parent on November 12, 2024

As a parent, I want to provide an honest perspective on my experience with Hillcrest Elementary. My son is a well-mannered child, but unfortunately, my interactions with the school have left me feeling extremely frustrated and concerned.First and foremost, there seems to be a lack of consistency and clarity in how issues are handled. Every time my son has been sent to the principal’s office, which seems to be the go-to punishment for even minor infractions, I’ve found the situation to be poorly communicated and handled. It’s concerning that the principal doesn’t seem to have all the facts when I’m contacted, leading to a lot of confusion and misinterpretation of events. There have been multiple occasions where the principal’s own words become tangled, and she’s had to backtrack on statements. This lack of clarity and accountability makes it difficult to take the school’s actions seriously.There also appears to be a troubling culture at the school where problematic behavior—like physical boundary violations—is not dealt with appropriately. When kids cross personal boundaries, the response from the staff seems to dismiss the victim’s experience and instead focuses on shifting blame. It feels as though the children who speak up are treated as the problem, which is not only unfair but also harmful. It’s disappointing to see this kind of environment where my child and others are being misled, mistreated, and misinterpreted.The principal’s frequent refrain, “There are a lot of kids at the school,” seems to be an excuse for any and all shortcomings in how things are handled, but it doesn’t address the core issue: the lack of thoroughness and genuine care for each child’s well-being. The staff seem to be hindered by a top-down approach that doesn’t empower them to address issues effectively.
Submitted by parent on January 14, 2023

My daughters attended here. Hillcrest is a great school. Highly recommend. Excellent teaching staff, small environment, and welcoming.
Submitted by parent on November 12, 2018

Hillcrest goes above and beyond to make the kids feel valued, safe and part of a school family. The principal, counselor, teachers and staff all care about the kids. I could not ask for a better school for my son to attend.
Submitted by other on April 17, 2014

I am a retired teacher and grandmother. I have a second grade grand daughter. I have visited the school many times and have always felt welcomed. My granddaughter amazes me. The subjects she loves the most are the ones we stress, math and reading. She is already into chapter books and reads to me a lot. She has had a chance to nurture that at this school and become very good at it. In her math, she can do all her problems and then turn around and explain in writing what she did and how she did it. This school has taken a curious little person and showed her the world through reading, writing and math. I see this child being a life long learner because of this experience. I always wanted each of my students to bloom like this. Thank you Hillcrest for caring about your students.
Submitted by other on November 07, 2012

I think this is a great school! Wonderful, caring and friendly staff. We love it here! :)